


caffeinated

by sorbetjin



Category: K-pop, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Attempt at Humor, Bad Humor, Barista Jeon Jungkook, Coffee, Coffee Shops, Cute Jeon Jungkook, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Gay, Gay Panic, Genius Kim Namjoon | RM, Hospitalization, Idiots in Love, Jeon Jungkook Is Bad at Feelings, Jeon Jungkook is Whipped, Kim Namjoon | RM Being an Idiot, Kim Namjoon | RM Is Bad at Feelings, Kim Namjoon | RM Is Whipped, LGBTQ Character, M/M, Short One Shot, Shy Jeon Jungkook, Sick Character, Sick Kim Namjoon | RM, Smitten Jeon Jungkook, Soft Jeon Jungkook, Soft Kim Namjoon | RM, Some Humor, Sweet Kim Namjoon | RM, University Student Jeon Jungkook, Waiter Jeon Jungkook, Waiter Park Jimin (BTS), Waiters & Waitresses, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-04-25
Packaged: 2020-01-31 08:50:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18587875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sorbetjin/pseuds/sorbetjin
Summary: Jungkook is a barista that works at the small little coffee shop down the road.Namjoon is a patient from the nearby hospital that visits the cafe for multiple reasons; namely, Jeon Jungkook.or; in which two idiots fall for each other.// fluffy namkook au





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> at first i wanted to make this a sad story, but i thought i should write a cute story for a change :)) hope you like it

   He loved everything there was about the small, little coffee shop just down the road. Ever since he had been allowed to leave the hospital (granted, it was only for short intervals, but he still cherished it), he liked to pass his free time at the café. He only had an hour to roam within the area, but thrice a week, he would stop by there without fail.

   Today, too, he slid into his favourite seat, taking a minute to look at his surroundings. Really, what was there not to like about the shop? The warm sunlight brightened up the room, spilling in through the large, glass windows. The way the hardwood flooring creaked whenever someone walked, mixed with the light chattering of customers, never failed to calm him down.

   The aroma of rich coffee beans wafted across the air-conditioned room, and Namjoon took a deep breath in, a smile on his face. He absolutely loved the taste of the brew here—a perfect balance of bitter and sweet. He made it his mission to try every drink the café offered, and so far, he had managed to go through about a third of it. Of course, he skipped the sweet drinks, otherwise he’d get a nasty scolding from his doctor again.

   Even the menu was nicely-designed. Every drink and dessert was neatly organized according to type and texture and the page was bordered with nice, professional looking white lines-- _Okay, maybe Namjoon was just searching for excuses now to distract himself from the real reason he frequented the café._

   After placing a quick order (with a muffin on the side, because he just couldn't resist how good the pastry tasted there), he pulled out the book Taehyung had lent him for the week. Though, his eyes weren’t looking at the pages upon pages of poetic words—instead he glanced across the shop as discretely as he could.

   The real reason he came there so often; something he wouldn’t admit to the nurse who questioned his decision to waste his precious free time at the same place every time, was the very cute, very good-looking barista.

   When he first saw him, he thought his heart had finally given up on him, and the last thing he would feel was the intense shame of suddenly dropping dead in front of an attractive guy. Thankfully, he was just overreacting, and he, in fact, was just very taken aback by the sheer handsomeness of the young man in front of him. He quickly took note of the name scrawled across his nametag— _Jungkook_ , for educational purposes, of course.

   The young man had dark, fluffy hair that sometimes fell into his eyes. His skin was tan, as if he had been kissed by the sun. The way the uniform fit his physique was a blessing and a curse for Namjoon—his muscles strained against the tight clothes, and the apron that was tied around his small waist only accentuated his amazing body. He looked like he was modelling no matter what he did. Namjoon had never felt so attacked by someone’s looks before.

   However, after working up the courage to speak with him, Namjoon realized that his personality was a complete contrast to his intimidating, muscular appearance. He was softspoken, had a cheerful disposition, and an odd sense of humour. Namjoon felt at ease, his pleasant aura offering him a sense of familiarity (though he still slipped up and showed just how clumsy he could be whenever he had his guard down).

   He found out Jungkook shared his interest for comic books after he got bored and decided to read Dragonball instead of his usual English books, and Jungkook got really excited and spoke to him for the first time, asking him if he wanted to borrow his copies, so at least he knew they had that in common. He was infinitely grateful that he chose to read Dragonball on that very day. In a way, it was the thing that started it all between the two of them. As if his love for comics wasn't cute enough, sometimes, Jungkook would draw some cartoons on a napkin and leave it with his order. _And here Namjoon thought he couldn’t possibly be even more smitten with him_.

   Namjoon knew that the café’s business tended to slow down on weekdays, and noticed that most of the workers were part-timers who worked during the nights or on weekends. Today, as he calculated, they only had a few workers around, and they were all busy serving other tables. That would mean that Jungkook would not only make his order, but he’d be bringing it to him, too.

   Sure enough, he heard the familiar clicking of heels across the floor, and he immediately ducked behind his book.

“Hey, nice book you got there.”

   Namjoon looked up in susprise, not expecting Jungkook to strike up a conversation with him, especially after how disastrous the last one went. Long story short, Namjoon had accidentally insulted Shawn Mendes (he was so nervous, he ended up lying on the spot), and Jungkook had gotten upset, to which Namjoon quickly apologized and awkwardly explained he became tongue-tied around him. Yeah, he wasn’t the smoothest guy around.

Namjoon laughed, like he tended to do when he was distressed. “Yeah, my friend told me I should read it.”

“It’s good, though I wouldn’t recommend reading it upside down.” Jungkook said, cracking a smile.

   Namjoon’s eyes widened. Heat spread across his face as he fumbled and flipped the book around. “Uh, not sure why I didn’t notice that. Haha.” Though he was sure he was redder than the blood he coughed up that morning, he tried playing it cool, leaning back in his seat nonchalantly.

   Jungkook’s smile could light up the entire room, he decided. He almost forgot why he was so flustered in the first place, because his mind went numb when he realised how hot Jungkook looked with his sleeves rolled up. Namjoon cleared his throat, shaking his head a little. “You’re on duty today, huh?”

   “Yeah, I don’t have classes today, so I thought might as well take up a shift.” Jungkook ran his fingers through his hair. Namjoon gulped. “I won’t be working tomorrow because of a seminar, though. So I guess it works out?”

“A seminar? Good luck with that.”

   "Thanks. Speaking of," Jungkook tilted his head. Namjoon felt his heart skip a beat. Even the small habits Jungkook had screamed adorable to him. “You’re older than me, right? Are you studying right now?”

“I graduated from an online school.” Namjoon looked away. “Studying when you’re in the hospital is a bit hard, so…”

Jungkook nodded. “Yeah, guess it must be. I should’ve done it online, too. Walking across campus gets tiring.”

   Namjoon loved the way that Jungkook never tip-toed around the fact that he was a patient from the hospital nearby. He was tired of the pitiful looks, the sympathetic hand on the shoulder, the sugar-coated words. It was a nice change. He took a sip of his coffee, briefly remembering that he should probably drink it before it got cold.

   “You always make the best coffee,” Namjoon said. His compliment was genuine; it was nothing like he had ever tasted. No matter how much he worried that he might hate an unfamiliar taste, he always ended up with a pleasant surprise.

Jungkook blushed a little. “Thanks. I was worried I might screw up your order.”

   Namjoon’s brain started whirring when he heard that. He wanted to delve into the logistics—did Jungkook meant what he thought he did? He did not want to overthink and get disappointed later, so he quickly shifted his focus back to the conversation. “There’s no way that can happen. You’re always very precise.”

   The way his round eyes sparkled whenever his coffee was complimented was enough to make Namjoon feel like the luckiest man alive. Jungkook let out a little giggle, and his weak heart was doing backflips out of nowhere. He was scared of how much Jungkook affected him.

   “That means a lot, coming from you.” Jungkook glanced at his watch. “Hey, I gotta go. I work again on Saturday. Come by if you want my coffee again.” Jungkook turned around, but looked back to flash a wide grin at Namjoon.

“You bet.”

In summary, Jungkook might just be the cause of his early death.

-

The door chime rang throughout the café.

   Jungkook glanced nervously at the door. He quickly fixed his hair and tugged on his sleeves, nervously tying and untying his apron. His co-worker, Park Jimin, raised an eyebrow at him, scoffing at his actions.

“Is it him?” Jimin said, nudging him teasingly.

   Jungkook felt himself clam up. The guy that somehow always came in whenever he was on his shift was there again. Maybe he just visited daily, or it was just a very lucky string of coincidences, because Jungkook was half-convinced he might’ve fallen for a guy for the first time ever.

   Okay, maybe he was more than just whipped, because ever since Namjoon revealed they shared the same music taste (except for his love for Shawn, apparently), he had fought with Jimin over the rights for the cord so he could show off his playlist to Namjoon. When he caught himself smiling at the memory of Namjoon noticing his choice of songs and replaying his words-- _I'm so glad you like this song, too! Isn't it just beautiful?--_ was the moment Jungkook realized he might've fallen a bit too deep. 

   Who could blame him? The man called Namjoon always dressed smartly, carried himself with an air of confidence, and read intelligent books. He was tall, handsome, fit. Whenever he was reading and he smiled, or laughed when he thought no one was looking, Jungkook would have to hold back his gasp, because he thought his dimple was the cutest thing he had ever witnessed on planet Earth. The thought that he was sick, and the possibility that he might have been a patient from the nearby hospital never crossed his mind, until Jimin had pointed out the patient tag around his wrist, tucked under his coat sleeve.

   Jimin rolled his eyes, used to Jungkook going blank and zoning out in the middle of the conversation, and went ahead to take Namjoon’s order. When he came back, he slapped the notepad against Jungkook’s chest. “Here’s his order, lover boy.”

Jungkook glared at him, and Jimin cackled, already moving onto his next table.

   He took a deep breath. Normally, he had no trouble making coffee. He had caught on pretty quickly when he started taking classes a few years ago, and he landed a job at the café with ease. He would argue that he had absolute confidence in his own skills, though at that moment, he didn’t exactly appear so sure of himself.

   He did not want to screw up Namjoon’s order. He knew he had a fondness for the shop, as he visited pretty often. The pressure to impress him was there, too. With shakey hands, he whipped up the order before he could hesitate and be crippled by another bout of insecurity. Jimin sniggered at him, amused by how different he acted whenever Namjoon was around.

“Now, just don’t spill it all over him.”

“I wont!” He snapped back.

“Who knows, maybe you want to see him like that. Dripping wet and stuff. I won’t judge.”

“Hyung, you're a pervert.”

“Just saying,” Jimin patted him on the shoulder. “If you talk to him, just don’t bring up Shawn Mendes, yeah? You two are so awkward, it’s pitiful.”

“He said it was an accident.” Jungkook retorted.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.”

   Jimin waved him off, and Jungkook walked up to Namjoon slowly, making sure he didn’t trip over his own shoelaces like a fool. He made it to his destination safely.

 _Be confident,_ he reminded himself.

   When he looked down, he realized maybe he shouldn’t have worried so much after all. Namjoon was reading his book, wrong side up, his tense posture making Jungkook feel slightly better about himself.

   He decided that he liked him even more, now. No matter how awkward Namjoon was whenever they spoke, no matter how confused Jungkook actually was when he pretended to understand the profound theories Namjoon shared, he was absolutely taken by him. He wasn’t sure why he liked a fumbling idiot that was actually really cool and smart, but he found himself mesmerized by Namjoon.

Jungkook gathered his courage, and slid the tray onto the table.

“Hey, nice book you got there.”

 


	2. decaf // namjoon

   The man stood before the mirror, staring at his own reflection. For once, he was satisfied. Not a hair was out of place. His clothes didn't look the slightest bit loose, like they used to. He felt refreshed, happy—like a new man.

   Kim Namjoon stood there, stronger and healthier than before, yet there was still a sliver of doubt in his own mind. Was it all just a dream? Was the world around him an illusion? He had made it out of his surgery alive and well, waking up in the same, creaky old hospital bed; his father’s hand clutching his own tightly. The look of relief on his family and friends’ faces when he opened his eyes were permanently burned into his mind. His mother had planted hundreds of kisses all over his face, and Taehyung had burst into tears, dropping his basket of fruit by his feet so he could engulf him in a hug.

   Namjoon had spent the next month recovering in the hospital, slowly but surely getting better. He wasn’t completely cured; such a thing was just impossible, but he did feel his symptoms decreasing. Just lowering his mortality rate was enough for him.

   During his recovery period, he spent a lot of time pondering what he should do in regards to his other… heart problems. The night he woke up, he had an emotional talk with his parents about the feelings he had kept under wraps all this while, and how they weren’t limited to the opposite gender. His parents were speechless for a few moments, but through tears, his father clasped a shakey hand on his shoulders, and told him words of love and comfort that he would never forget, no matter what. Afterwards, Taehyung told him how proud he was of Namjoon for finally coming out to his parents, and that telling him was useless, since he kind of knew all along.

   Namjoon was sure of his feelings. He knew, after months of gradually getting closer to Jungkook, that he was in love with the young barista. He was too much of a coward to make a move, and the fear of getting rejected plagued him every time the thought of attempting romance entered his mind. But he had made a promise to himself; a promise that he would try to do the impossible if he miraculously survived his surgery.

   As he walked down the familiar path, it certainly looked a lot brighter and livelier ever since he had been discharged from the hospital. He appreciated the world a lot more now, seeing his surroundings with a new perspective. He had never noticed the bookstore before, with its muted greys and browns, and warm aura. Even the people around him were no longer blurry passersby, instead, they all had distinct faces and had their own stories. It was as if his vision had cleared up, and he was finally able to see the beauty of the world as it really was.

   Namjoon stopped in his tracks, swallowing harshly. He had spent a week planning this very day out with Jimin, a waiter who worked at the café and was very eager to help Namjoon with his mission to court Jungkook. _Maybe a little bit too eager_ , Namjoon thought.

   Whatever the case, everything had led up to this very moment. Jimin had suggested coming to work early with Jungkook, begging for him to teach him how to make coffee, and Namjoon was just thankful he had a reasonable sounding idea. No way could he tell Jimin that Taehyung had suggested he rented out the whole café for a private birthday party.

   Namjoon pushed the door open. The bouquet of peonies in his hands looked a little too extravagant, but he figured there was no turning back now. The plastic that crinkled beneath his fingertips only served to remind him that this was real, and he was finally doing the thing that had been the source of his anxieties.

   He stood there, gazing around at the café, taking in the all too familiar scent of freshly-brewed coffee. He could hear Jungkook humming to himself in the back, and the clattering of ceramics as he shuffled around the kitchen. He loved Jungkook’s singing voice. When he first caught him singing by accident, Jungkook had turned his head away, embarrassed. How could he tell him that his voice was the purest thing he had ever heard? He had never felt so… _enchanted_ by someone before.

Jungkook pushed the door open with his shoulders, a box in between his hands.

Namjoon felt his own breath hitch. The world seemed the stop around him.

   He hadn’t seen him in so long, yet there he was, as handsome as he had always remembered him. He still had the same fluffy hair, the same cheeky smile. Jungkook turned around, and in a mere moment, his entire expression changed. The smile on his face vanished. His eyes grew wide, and his lips parted in shock.

“…Namjoon-hyung?”

   Jimin slid next to him, smiling widely. He slapped Jungkook on the back, shoving him forwards. “You’re welcome. Now, go talk things out.”

   Jungkook stumbled as he made his way to Namjoon. Suddenly, all the confidence Namjoon had that morning seemed to have drained away when he needed it most. No matter how charismatic he appeared to be, it was all useless if he still lost his cool in front of Jungkook. Still, he shoved the flowers into Jungkoook’s hands, and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. “I, uh—“

   Jungkook cut him off with a trembling voice. “Where have you been?” His eyes seemed a little too watery for it to be a coincidence.

   Namjoon was taken aback by his tone of voice. He didn’t think Jungkook would even notice that his visits had stopped a few months ago. A little hope tugged on his heartstrings.

   “I didn’t have any assigned break times, so I couldn’t go to the café. The doctor told me I had to recover completely first.” He took a deep breath, glancing at Jungkook, a bit scared of how he would react. Would he be offended that Namjoon didn’t tell him about his circumstances? Or would he not care about it at all, and he was just overthinking it? “I was discharged this morning.”

“Recover completely? You don’t mean-“

“I had my heart surgery.” Namjoon said quietly. “It took a while for me to get better, but here I am.”

   Jungkook stared at him, and Namjoon couldn’t read his expression. He prided himself in his people skills, but he could not, for the life of him, discern what exactly Jungkook was thinking at that very moment. He looked shocked, scared, happy, nervous, sad—all at once. _Was that even possible?_

   One moment, he was just standing there, and the next, Namjoon was enveloped in a hug. Jungkook buried his head in his shoulders, his breath coming in gasps. Namjoon sent a panicked look over to Jimin, who shrugged, and told him to go with the flow. Namjoon stood there, frozen, not sure where to put his arms, or what he should do. “I'm so happy. I was so worried something happened to you, because you stopped coming out of nowhere, and I knew you were sick—“

   Namjoon wrapped his arms around Jungkook, careful not to touch any inappropriate areas. He couldn’t risk getting a restraining order after everything he had been through. Though he was nervous and somewhat uncomfortable, he couldn’t help but notice that after he had gained most of his muscle mass back, Jungkook seemed much smaller than he remembered.

   “I’m sorry. I didn’t have the chance to tell you.” Namjoon said gently. Even though he really liked how warm and comfortable the embrace felt, though he wasn’t one for affection, he carefully pried Jungkook off of him, and looked him in the eyes. He was a bit puffy and red, but Namjoon didn’t want to lose his momentum. “And this time, I won’t run away anymore.”

   Jungkook tilted his head, confused. He was still as cute as ever, Namjoon noted. With the flowers in his hands, he looked princely, almost like he came straight out of a comic book.

   “Jeon Jungkook, ever since I first met you, I liked you.” Namjoon murmured, gently taking his hands. “I know this might scare you off, since I’m a guy, but I don’t want to have any more regrets. I know I would definitely hate myself if I never told you how I actually felt, so, here we are.”

   Jungkook seemed at lost for words. He looked away, and for a split second, Namjoon felt his heart drop. Was he going to get rejected? After everything he went through? And In front of Jimin, at that? Oh God, he would die from mortal shame.

   “Honestly,” Jungkook’s voice was softer than ever. Namjoon gulped. “The months where you suddenly disappeared, it scared the fuck out of me.” He gave a nervous laugh, and Namjoon wanted to reach out and give him another hug. He sounded fragile, scared, unsure. “I’m not very good with words, but I think I should tell you that I’ve never felt like I screwed up more than at that moment. The only thing I could think of was _what if I had gotten the courage to just ask him out?_ Now, I guess I don’t have to anymore.”

   The smile that Jungkook gave him warmed his entire being. Namjoon couldn’t help but smile back, pulling him closer by his waist (making sure to not pull too hard, lest he wanted them both to end up falling onto the floor). Jungkook looked up at him through his lashes. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“Neither can I.”

“Are you my boyfriend now?”

   Namjoon was having a mental breakdown and a silent celebration, but he tried to keep his cool. He shrugged nonchalantly. “I guess so.”

   Jungkook, who had always appeared intimidating in his tight clothes and muscular frame, had never seemed more docile than at that very moment. His small smile showed how content he was, and his flushed face the only giveaway that he felt really shy being confessed to by his own crush.

The atmosphere was so good, Namjoon completely forgot that Jimin was still there. He rolled his eyes. “Just kiss already, nerds.”

   Jungkook scowled at him, but he tugged Namjoon down by the collar of his cashmere coat, and gave him a kiss. Namjoon could feel the electricity coursing through his veins the second their lips touched. It was almost as if he had just downed 5 cups of espresso at once, not that he knew what that felt like. That would be suicide, for sure. And Namjoon didn’t want to die so early on in his relationship.

   Jungkook pulled away, breathless. He laughed a little, his hand resting against Namjoon’s chest. The space between them was so small, Namjoon could see every little mole decorating his pretty face. “Sorry, should’ve asked you first.” He said sheepishly.

“I don’t mind,” Namjoon said. “In fact, I’d very much like to do it again.”

   Jimin raised an eyebrow, tapping his fingers impatiently against the wooden counter top. The two of them turned to look at him. He sighed. “Congrats. Also, get a fucking room already.”

 Needless to say, Namjoon would stay caffeinated for quite a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> namjoon's heart disease is completely fictional! so please don't panic :)) 
> 
> this short fic came to an end pretty quickly. i was quite worried about writing a namkook fanfic because I wasn't sure I could capture the dynamic of their relationship in a short story, but I hope you liked it as much as I enjoyed writing it :D


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